Thursday, 21 August 2014

Martins & Hobbys

Hundreds of martins were gathering on the roof of the
visitor centre on our arrival this morning till they were spooked by a Hobby
which half-heartedly attempted to attack them as they gathered themselves in to
a loose protective ‘ball’. Farborough bank held 6 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Meadow
Pipit and a single juvenile Grey Wagtail while on our return from the spit we
had the unusual sighting of 4 Tree Sparrow (adult + 3 juveniles) on the
perimeter road. Other sightings included 6 Little Egret dotted around the
reservoir including one that flew off over the car park when chatting with
Paul C, 2 juvenile and one adult Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Common Tern, 30+ Swift
and 2 Common Sandpiper.

Napton on the Hill was blustery and quiet with only a Hobby
over the church worth mentioning while the nearby reservoir was just as bad as
we could only manage a couple of Willow Warblers. Still a few dragonfly and
butterfly species on the wing till the cloud cover came in.